The Other One
by Screaming Lamb
Summary: *COMPLETE*!!! What if Hannibal Lecter had a twin brother whom nobody, not even Hannibal himself, knew existed?!
1. Default Chapter

Note: Okay, here's another one of my silly ideas bouncing around in my head. I sincerely apologize if I've taken the same idea as someone else may have already had, but I haven't read all the Hannibal fanfics out there so honestly don't know if a similar story has been written before. It may be an idea that alot of people have had so I apologize if that's the case....I had no intent of copying somebody else's idea....this is just something I came up with that a dozen other people may have some up with too!  
  
Disclaimer: The characters of Hannibal and Mischa Lecter are the sole property of Thomas Harris and I'm not making any money off this so pzzzztttttttthhhhhttt!  
  
THE OTHER ONE  
  
Chapter One  
  
Summer in Vilnius, Lithuania, 1938. Hot. Hot and searing pain and the woman is screaming. Screaming as her firstborn child is ripped from her womb in a frenzy of blood and amniotic fluid. As loud as the screaming is the abrupt silence that follows as the umbilical cord is severed and the bloodied child is placed at her breast. She looks down at her newborn son lovingly and the birthing pain of just seconds before is forgotten as he suckles at her breast. He is beautiful; perfect. Perfect from the lids of his amethyst coloured eyes right down to the perfectly replicated sixth finger on his left hand. Anna-Maria Visconti Lecter cradles her newborn infant as the nurse sponges her sweaty forehead with a cool wet cloth.  
  
The new father hesitantly approaches the bedroom door, and seeing his wife nursing their newborn son, quickly makes his way to her bedside. The nurse continues to see to Anna's comfort as the doctor congratulates Ivan Lecter on the birth of his first son. The traumatic birth is over, the child proclaimed healthy, and all is right in the world of this young family's grand summer home.  
  
"What shall you name the child?" the nurse asks the new mother.  
  
"Hannibal."  
  
Seconds after the child's chosen name leaves her lips, Anna is again seized by the excruciating pain in her womb. Unexpected this time, and more brutal than any pain imaginable, she loses her hold on the infant and the nurse is barely able to safely snatch him away just as his mother begins to writhe and sob in pain.  
  
"What-" Ivan Lecter is visibly shaken as the doctor shoves him aside. Anna is overshadowed by another wave of contractions, a thousand times more painful than what she experienced bringing little Hannibal into the world just minutes ago. She is delirious with the pain, she fears she's dying, the faces and voices around her become one great blur as an ether-soaked cloth is placed over her face. She hears voices coming from afar, as if she is floating in a bubble and the voices are on the other side. The pain is moving farther away, she is faintly aware of a feeling as if she's being ripped apart, and drifting, hearing voices......voices......  
  
"How can this be happening - "  
  
"I swear there was only one heartbeat...."  
  
"Her belly looked hardly large enough to be carrying even one child...."  
  
"......twins.....?"  
  
Morning and Anna-Maria wakens to the sound of an infant crying. No, make that two infants crying. The nurse carries both babies, one in each arm, over to her.  
  
Dazed, Anna looks up at the nurse, whispering "twins?"  
  
"Yes, you gave birth to twins - two perfect identical baby boys, and the doctor says they're both healthy in every way. You certainly surpised us Anna - even the doctor had no idea you were carrying twins! You'll be fine, just rest, and enjoy your little ones."  
  
Anna dimly remembered the previous evening, holding little Hannibal briefly before falling away from consciousness. She gazes down now at her two sons, both with an extra middle finger perfectly replicated, both with amethyst colored eyes, and is embarrassed to realize that she is unable to tell which one is the firstborn Hannibal and which was the second twin, now in need of a name. The kind nurse read her thoughts.  
  
"I'm afraid there's no physical way whatsoever to tell the twins apart. The doctor was unable to find any distinguishing characteristics whatsoever. No birthmarks, nothing. They even weigh exactly the same. Incredibly, even their finger and toe prints are identical. I wrapped Hannibal in the white blanket, and his brother in the blue.....that's the only way I could make them different"  
  
Ivan Lecter rapped softly at the bedroom door just then.   
  
"Anna my love, may I come in?"  
  
"Of course....Ivan, look at our twins...how will we ever tell them apart?"  
  
"I suppose we'll just have to dress them differently......don't look so worried Anna, we'll manage!"  
  
"What shall we name the second twin?"  
  
"I haven't given it any thought....I had no idea we would be naming two children at once! How about...Antonio?"  
  
"No Ivan - we already have seven Antonios on my side! Perhaps....Leopold?"  
  
"Too foreign........hmmm........Vincenzo?"  
  
"Not Vincenzo! Haven't I ever told you about my Uncle Vincenzo, the one who went insane?!"  
  
"Sorry my love...I've forgotten. Well then, Doctor Nicolo Rischler has been most kind, so how about naming the child after him?"  
  
Anna thought for a moment, gazing first at little Hannibal swaddled in white, then at his identical brother wrapped in blue.  
  
"Nicolo Lecter? Yes, that sounds quite nice. Nicolo and Hannibal Lecter they shall be." 


	2. Chapter 2

Wow, thanks so much for all the encouragement!! I guess my writing doesn't suck as badly as I thought! :-)  
  
Usual disclaimers apply.  
  
The Other One  
  
Chapter Two  
  
Summer ends, Autumn begins, and the twins thrive in unison. It is baffling to see the brothers grow and develop at exactly the same rate. They begin to hold up their heads on their own at the exact same moment. They learn to crawl simultaneously. Even their amethyst eyes darken into a shade of maroon over the course of an identical number of days. It is almost eerie.  
  
Whether the twins function as one is difficult to say. However identical they are physically, their personalities seem to be emerging separately. Of course it is still too early to assess their personalities, but some differences are already noticeable. When little Hannibal is hungry, he howls, drinks his fill, and promptly falls asleep. Nicolo, in contrast, not only howls when he's hungry, but continues to howl and thrash about even as he is being fed. Even without teeth, he mauls his mother's nipples to such an extent that she is no longer capable of breastfeeding him. He suckles with such violent zeal , it's almost as if he is trying to eat her flesh. The parents however are grateful for at least this difference; otherwise it really would be impossible to tell the boys apart.  
  
Autumn ends, Winter sets in, followed by Spring and the two children continue to mirror eachother in every aspect. Summer again and now the twins celebrate their first birthday. The occasion brings sweets and hand- carved wooden toys and an adorable chubby little puppy to the excited toddlers. Their parents delight in watching the twins smear cake all over their faces at opposite ends of the small table.  
  
Identical as they are, the brothers do not appear to share the close bond that is said to exist between twins. They do not grow closer as they grow older; in fact they seem to avoid eachother and prefer to play on their own. Hannibal enjoys playing by himself; painting, doing puzzles, and any toy that makes music. He is an intelligent child who seems to be interested in any kind of artistic pursuit. Nicolo is quite the opposite. Although equally intelligent, he expresses his superior intellect with destruction rather than the same artistic skills his brother Hannibal displays. While Hannibal teaches himself to play a few notes on the family's harpsichord, Nicolo is instead content to rip the instrument apart.  
  
Nicolo is more than a handful, even terrorizing and bullying his brother to the point where Hannibal avoids him at all costs. So frequent is the fighting between siblings, the children end up being moved to separate nurseries at opposite ends of the mansion just so that some semblance of peace can be achieved in the household. Little Hannibal becomes an introverted and timid child as a result of Nicolo's constant tyranny. The children's mother is growing more worried with each passing day as she watches her identical sons become quite the contrary in personality. And to see Nicolo become more violent and destructive over the months is causing concern to both parents.  
  
Anna Lecter is a few months along with her second pregnancy by the time the twins' third birthday comes around. The servants have prepared a lavish feast accompanied by a variety of pastries and sweets for the birthday boys. However, when it's time for the family to assemble around the festive table, only Nicolo is present, grinning and eager to have his fill of the birthday dinner and desserts. Little Hannibal is nowhere to be found. 


	3. Chapter 3

The Other One  
  
Chapter Three  
  
  
  
"Hanni! Hanni! Where are you hiding? Come eat!"  
  
The children's' nanny is parading throughout the vast estate, calling for Hannibal, speaking partly in Italian, partly in Russian.  
  
"Hanni!! Stop playing games now, it's time for your dinner - your parents and brother are waiting for you!"  
  
There is no sign of the child anywhere on the forested grounds. The play- house in the garden is empty. Nor is he in his nursery or in any of the upstairs rooms.  
  
Grumbling, the nanny makes her way back to the main floor of the mansion and into the kitchen. Thinking Hannibal may have snack into the kitchen before dinner to steal a slice from the hidden birthday cake, she very quietly pushes open the kitchen door, so as to catch him in the act. The kitchen is empty and the cake is left untouched on the counter. She is about to give up her search and report to the Lecters that the child is nowhere to be found, when she hears a muffled sound coming from the adjoining pantry.  
  
"Hanni? Are you in there?"  
  
Swinging open the pantry door, she at first sees nothing except for the hanging smoked pork shoulders and hams which are suspended from the ceiling by cotton strings. Surveying the room closer, she suddenly sees one of the hanging smoked pork shoulders move. Hurrying forward, she parts the contents of the pantry to reveal that what she mistook for one of the hanging cuts of meat is in fact little Hannibal, strung up by his trousers, hanging among the hams.  
  
The nanny swiftly frees the crying and terrified child from the ceiling of the pantry. Poor little Hannibal is sobbing and covered with bruises, and his usually unrumpled clothing is torn and soiled. The kind nanny holds him close, brings him to the kitchen and sets him down on the counter to wash his face.  
  
"Hanni, it's all right - stop crying now. Whatever happened to you? How did you get yourself into such a mess??"  
  
Hannibal ceases his sobbing long enough to whisper one word: "Nicolo".  
  
The commotion in the kitchen has brought both parents running from the outdoor terrace, where Nicolo remains, stuffing himself with the many delicacies from the table. The nanny quickly describes the predicament she found Hannibal in.  
  
Anna holds her crying son close. "Oh my poor little Hanni! Tell me the truth - did your brother do this to you?"  
  
Whimpering, Hannibal nods and whispers barely loud enough to be heard "but he said if I told on him he'd do worse than hang me by my trousers!"  
  
"You just let your father deal with your brother. Now come, eat some dinner."  
  
By the time Hannibal is cleaned up and sufficiently calmed down enough to follow his parents and the nanny back out onto the terrace, Nicolo has left the table. Most of the food and the dishes are also gone from the table, but the table is by no means empty. Laid across the ornate table, in place of the roasted meats, dishes of vegetables and trays of pastries, is Wolfie, the family dog. However, the dog is not on the table for any reason one might expect. He has not jumped upon the table in a mischievous canine act of trying to steal a piece of meat or some other treat. No, the family pet is flattened belly-up against the table , blood oozing from the many wounds inflicted by the family's eating utensils. Forks and knives stick out in a carefully calculated pattern across the poor beast's chest, hindquarters, belly and paws. An educated eye may summarize that Wolfie very much resembles a medieval medical drawing known as "Wound Man". Or shall we say in this case, "Wound Dog".  
  
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Later in their bed that night, Anna and Ivan Lecter are speaking in hushed tones. Their conversation bounces between Russian and Italian.  
  
"Anna, it's the only way. It's the only thing we can do. This time it was the dog - next time it may be Hanni, or the new baby. He's dangerous, Anna..."  
  
"I can't send my son away! Ivan, there must be something we can do without making him leave our home!"  
  
"Anna - listen to me! He's dangerous! You saw what he did to the dog, and every day he terrorizes poor Hanni more and more! The child is mentally ill, he needs to be in an institution where he won't harm anyone else, or himself!"  
  
"But Ivan - "  
  
"No more talk, Anna. My mind is made up. I won't have Nicolo causing any more harm to this family - I will not wait until it's too late. Tomorrow we will go by train to Moscow and leave him in the sanitarium there. We have Hanni and our new baby to think of. An asylum is the only right place for a child such as Nicolo."  
  
The next morning, little Nicolo and his father made their way to Moscow, and when Ivan Lecter returned to his estate in Lithuania several weeks later, he returned alone. 


	4. Chapter 4

Wow, I'm overwhelmed by all the positive reviews I've gotten for what I thought to be a sorry little excuse of a story! So here is more, powered by a sugar high fueled from "hermit" cookies and chai tea. This is getting weirder than I even intended.....muahawhawhawhawhaw!  
  
The Other One  
  
Chapter Four  
  
The birth of a sister named Mischa and the services of a psychiatrist well versed in the techniques of hypnotism were enough to make the young Hannibal forget that he ever had a brother. Remarkable as his memory was, he recalled no events prior to his fourth birthday. The knowledge of Nicolo's existence remained in the far corners of Ivan and Anna Lecter's memory palace and remained there until their untimely death.  
  
The lives of the estranged twin brothers, although separate, remained very much mirrored. They both grew up in overwhelming institutional settings; Hannibal as a post-war orphan cared for by the American Red Cross, and Nicolo as a resident in the same Russian private hospital where he was deposited at the tender age of three. In his communal room at the Red Cross Orphanage, the young Hannibal cries himself to sleep every night with the thought of his beloved slaughtered sister, Mischa. A continent away, Nicolo is sitting up in his bed in the private room his father was able to pay for at the asylum, crying angry tears for being the child unloved by his parents.  
  
Thanks to their immeasurable genius IQ, the brothers are able to pursue similar levels of education despite their individual difficult situations. Being smart helps alot when you're a young man trying to get out of a mental hospital, and Nicolo proves to be smart enough. Smart enough to earn his way to a new life in America. Smart enough to eventually track down his never-forgotten twin brother.  
  
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Dr. Hannibal Lecter returns to his Baltimore home after a grueling day at his psychiatric practice. Heavy rain is falling, and the doctor is relieved to step into the warmth of the comforting house where he quickly disarms the security system. He shakes the droplets of rain from his overcoat, hangs it up in the front closet, kicks off his soaked boots and proceeds to strip down to his underwear right there in the entrance hall. The doctor is not concerned with being seen walking around almost nude, considering that he lives alone and the house is relatively secluded. Gathering up his rain-soaked clothing, Dr. Lecter crosses over to the door leading to the laundry room and hamper in the basement, stopping only to grab a towel from the first floor bathroom. Making his way down the basement stairs with the armful of wet clothes, his view is partially shielded by the fluffy white towel as he dries off his hair. His sharp sense of smell is just starting to register an unfamiliar scent when suddenly he feels himself crashing to the bottom of the staircase and all goes black.  
  
When Hannibal comes back to reality, he finds himself sprawled out on the basement floor. He feels sore and bruised but quickly concludes that he must have fallen while descending the stairs and given himself a mild concussion. The possibility of his minor injury being the result of an intruder in his home is the farthest thought from his mind. He has taken great pains and expense to ensure that his home is as secure as possible, the only reason being for the protection of his many collections of priceless antiques and artwork. Nobody can get in without an overwhelming variety of keys and the code for the security alarm.  
  
At first he is puzzled as to why his body feels wet, but he quickly remembers being in the rain. He brushes a hand across his clammy wet face and opens his eyes. He comes close to fainting again when he sees that it is not rainwater, but blood that he has wiped off his face. As his eyes focus around the basement room, he learns that it is not his own blood that is staining his face and hands. The vision he sees before him overtakes his senses with both awe and disgust. He would laugh if the situation weren't so perplexing.  
  
There, strung to a pegboard on the basement worktable, is a man. Or what remains of a man. He is brutally cut and torn throughout random parts of his body, and what appear to be hunting arrows stick out at gruesome angles in his severed flesh. Hannibal Lecter's memory palace immediately spews forth an image which graces the cover of one of the medical texts kept on the shelf in his office. The image is known as Wound Man.  
  
Forcing himself to remain the ultimate in calm and control, Hannibal pulls himself up and makes a hurried but thorough tour of the basement. Satisfied that he is alone, except for the pitiful piece of flesh on the worktable, he dashes up the stairs and again confirms that he is alone in the entire house. Pulling closed all the curtains and blinds, double- bolting the doors and windows, he makes his way back down to the cellar.  
  
Dark and evil thoughts that have been kept carefully under lock in the vast cellars of his Memory Palace suddenly surface. He is excited when he approaches the ripped up victim. Excited that although he remembers nothing, he knows that he had to have been responsible for this piece of work. He believes himself responsible not only because he was alone in the house, but because he recognizes the victim as someone he had wanted to perform this very act upon for a long time. Dr. Lecter is able to confirm that he is in fact the creator of this bloody sculpture by the hairs on the victim which match his own, and by means of a do-it-yourself method of lifting fingerprints from the body. He uses a superior magnifying glass to compare the lifted fingerprints to the prints which appear on his American citizenship documents. The fingerprints without a doubt are a match. At last, I've done it. I wish I could remember doing it, but I know I did it. I am finally evolved.  
  
Hannibal. Lecter has the ability to see alot. But, he does not see his brother Nicolo lurking just outside one of the basement windows. 


	5. Chapter 5

The Other One  
  
Chapter Five  
  
The well-known defense attorney sat nervously across from his client at the interrogation table.  
  
"So what you're telling me Dr. Lecter, is that you claim to have no memory of the crimes in question. Crimes which have yielded not only your DNA and fingerprints, but eyewitness accounts of you being seen with the victims just prior to their disappearances?"  
  
"Mr. Reilly, I appreciate you representing me and I assure you that I will not be pleading 'I don't remember' in court; I am merely stating that I do not have clear recollection of the first six victims in question. The three individuals who followed, I have no comment on."  
  
Dr. Lecter's trial was followed with enthusiasm by the entire nation, including a well-disguised Nicolo. His thoughts however weren't as easy to disguise as his appearance. Now my brother, the revenge has begun!  
  
The object of his jealousy and loathing taken care of, Nicolo settled into the kind of lifestyle his brother would be enjoying had he not been incarcerated. He made careful changes to his appearance to avoid suspicion, however he always carried with him the only tangible proof of his identity as Hannibal Lecter's twin brother; the two original Lithuanian birth certificates, carefully laminated and sewn into his wallet.  
  
Nicolo was satisfied knowing that Hannibal would spend the rest of his days as a prisoner, and that more than made up for his crime of being the son who was loved by his parents. His revenge achieved, Nicolo resolved to spending the rest of his life amusing himself while his twin rotted in prison. And the plan worked well, until the morning when Nicolo picked up his morning paper and read the screaming headline: "HANNIBAL THE CANNIBAL KILLS FOUR IN ESCAPE FROM MEMPHIS PRISON"  
  
Only one thought ran through the distinguished mind of Nicolo Lecter.  
  
"Oh Shit!" 


	6. Chapter 6

My apologies for ending chapter 5 the way I did, but I couldn't think of anything better for Nicolo to say!  
  
All usual disclaimers apply. The characters of Hannibal Lecter, Mischa Lecter and Clarice Starling are the sole property of Thomas Harris and are being used in this story for entertainment purposes only. Only Nicolo, Ivan and Anna Lecter are mine. No profit is being made and no copyright infringement intended.  
  
The Other One  
  
Chapter Six  
  
One can imagine the challenge faced by a fugitive as notorious as Hannibal Lecter being on the run from the law. One can imagine it being even more of a challenge when one happens to be the identical twin of the fugitive in question. Nicolo however does not concern himself with this fact; he merely takes more stringent precautions to see that his face changes even more often than his brother's. It is with surprising ease that he follows Hannibal with discretion, from St. Louis to Brazil, to Florence and eventually back to the United States. Remaining at a comfortable distance, he is able to obtain firsthand knowledge of most of the significant events in his twin's life, right up until the time that Hannibal flees once again and settles to a life in Argentina with a certain Clarice Starling.  
  
Nicolo knew all about Clarice Starling, of course. He couldn't have stalked his brother all these years without knowing her almost as intimately as Hannibal himself knew her. He was every bit as obsessed with Clarice Starling as Hannibal ever could be. And of course whatever Hannibal had, Nicolo wanted for himself. He wanted Clarice almost as badly as he wanted revenge on his brother for being the son their parents chose to love the most.  
  
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It's a glorious summer day in Buenos Aires when Nicolo Lecter decides it's time for a little fraternal reunion. He has maintained a vigilant watch over Hannibal and Clarice for the past few years; he knows their comings and goings as well as the schedules followed by the few servants. And he knows Hannibal's appearance well enough to achieve a duplicate face and manner on himself.  
  
Now he watches in the early morning from across the quiet residential street until he sees Clarice leave the mansion for her morning hour-long run. Waiting until she retreats a significant distance down the side of the road, he crosses over to the house and makes his way along the back. He knows the servants will be away until at least noon, and he knows that he will find his long-lost brother reading in the study. Thanks to presenting a perfect form of identification matching the name and photo of the resident of this address, it was convenient for Nicolo to obtain a duplicate key to the mansion's back door from the local locksmith. The key slides easily into the lock and Nicolo finds himself swiftly crossing the grand kitchen and arriving at the doorway to his brother's study.  
  
It feels like forever, but in reality it is for mere seconds that Nicolo watches Hannibal, reading the morning edition of La Nazione with his back to the doorway. With a greater silence than that of his brother when he overtook Will Graham in his bare feet so many years ago, Nicolo slips silently into the room until he is directly behind Hannibal's armchair.  
  
"How nice to see you again, dear Brother."  
  
Hannibal Lecter never knew what hit him. 


	7. Chapter 7

The Other One  
  
Chapter 7  
  
Hannibal thinks he is dreaming of once again being strapped to the forklift in Mason Verger's barn. In reality, he wakes to find that he is strapped to his own armchair with all manners of restraints. What surprises him most of all is the sight of a mirror placed directly in front of him.  
  
"No Hannibal, I'm not your reflection; I'm your brother."  
  
For the first time in his life, Dr. Hannibal Lecter is speechless with shock.  
  
"Have you nothing to say, Hannibal? No 'Oh my long-lost brother, how good it is to see you again"? No loving embrace for your estranged twin, hmmmm?"  
  
Calm and control find their way back into Hannibal's mind. Very slowly, he tilts his head to the side and lets the image before him sink in. His body remains perfectly still while he dashes at lightening speed into every nook and cranny of his Memory Palace.  
  
"Sir, judging by the remarkable similarities in our appearances, I have no doubt we are somehow blood-related. However, I'm afraid you'll have to refresh my memory. To my knowledge, my only sibling was one Mischa Maria Lecter who perished at the age of three. Please enlighten me."  
  
Nicolo doesn't have to say a word as he holds up the two original Lithuanian birth certificates in front of his brother's eyes.  
  
"I see...."  
  
"No Hannibal, you do not see at all. I must inform you that I am terribly begrudged by the fact that our parents chose to lavish upon you the life of luxury as long as they lived whilst dumping me in an orphanage. Attempting to frame you for the results of my...shall we say...."hobby" failed miserably as it seems we have the same...."tastes"...hmmm?"  
  
"Well then Nicolo, may I ask what you propose would be adequate retaliation for the wrongs you suffered? What is it you want? Money? A battle of wits? My death? I do not have time for these little games; I would appreciate you getting to the point before my wife returns."  
  
"Ah dear Brother; like yourself, I never lie. And I am not lying when I say that only one of us shall remain in this world an hour from now. I do not need your money; and any battle of wits would be futile considering it would be a tie. And simply disposing of you wouldn't be any fun."  
  
"So what does that leave us with, Nicolo? Please come to the point. I am tiring of this reunion already."  
  
"Have patience, Brother! But since you insist, I must confess to you that I am giving serious thought........to eating your wife."  
  
At the mere insinuation of harming Clarice, Hannibal attempted to lunge forward upon his brother but only succeeded in tipping his armchair over, still bound to it.  
  
"Now Hannibal, no need to be rude! Tell me truly, Brother, do you think our dear Clarice would be able to tell us apart?"  
  
"Of course she'd be able to tell us apart, you moron!" Just the slightest shadow of doubt crossed over Hannibal's angry words, but it was enough for Nicolo to notice.  
  
"Brother, that was a lie. The first one you've told me. However, I am a fair man, and like you I do enjoy a good game. So how about a little friendly wager among brothers, hmmm? I may find it convenient to leave without my meal, providing that Clarice is able to determine within thirty minutes which one of us is her beloved husband and which one of us is her brother-in-law. If she guesses correctly, I shall leave you in peace and you'll never hear from me again. If she fails.......I will have to ask you where you keep your good autopsy saw and silverware."  
  
"And if I refuse?"  
  
"Well Brother, would you prefer that she come home to find you impaled upon your own harpy, hmmmm? No? I thought not. Quid Pro Quo, Brother - Yes or No?" 


	8. Chapter 8

The Other One  
  
Chapter 8 of 8  
  
Clarice returns from her run and is happy to slump into a kitchen chair and chug a glass of orange juice. It is an unusually hot day, and she has no intention of venturing again into the blazing Buenos Aires sunlight any time too soon.  
  
She finishes her juice and picks herself reluctantly out of the chair and makes her way to the first floor study to greet Hannibal. Instead of the usual welcoming open door, she instead finds the door to the study closed with a note taped to it, and written across it in a fine copperplate handwriting is her name.  
  
Dear Clarice;  
  
Don't let the handwriting fool you; as it is not Hannibal writing to you this time. You may think that you know every possible secret there is to know about your beloved Hannibal. I'm afraid to inform you, my dear, that there is one little detail omitted from the vast case files and studies regarding my brother.  
  
That's right Clarice; I said "brother". Identical twin brother, to be more precise. Allow me to introduce myself: Nicolo Ivan Lecter. You'll find attached to this letter our original Lithuanian birth certificates proving that Hannibal and I were born as twins. It is a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance.  
  
However, I regret to say that there is some bad blood between Hannibal and I. To settle the score, my dear long-lost brother and I have come to an agreement. After reading this letter, you will open this door and see us both. It will then be up to you, little Starling, to correctly identify us. Be warned that our own parents could not tell the difference, even in the short time we were all together as a family. Oh, and Clarice - do not bother to arm yourself or think of calling for help; you will enter the room with your hands in plain sight and not try anything heroic; otherwise you will quickly be able to tell which one of us is Hannibal, because he will be dead.  
  
I will know by the sound of the rustling paper that you have arrived home and have read this letter. You have thirty minutes, Clarice. Let the game begin!  
  
Yours,  
  
Nicolo Lecter, MD  
  
Upon finishing reading the letter, Clarice bursts into a fit of giggles. 'Twin brother my butt!' she thinks. 'This is the most twisted game Hannibal has come up with so far!'  
  
"Okay, Hann - oops, I mean "Nicolo" - ready or not, here I come!"  
  
Her giggles are quickly suppressed when she throws open the door and sees both Nicolo and Hannibal sitting side by side on the sofa, absolutely indistinguishable from eachother in every possible way.  
  
"Holy Shit!!! It's true - this is really happening?!"  
  
"Good evening Clarice."  
  
"Hannibal...??"  
  
"Yes?" is the simultaneous reply from both brothers.  
  
"SHITHOUSE MOUSE!!!"  
  
On of the Lecters narrows his eyes at her.  
  
"Clarice, you know I dislike that expression. I wish you'd find a more refined manner of expressing chagrin."  
  
"Clarice, clearly my brother Nicolo here has extensive knowledge of our lives together - do not be fooled."  
  
"Clarice, I assure you HE is Nicolo; and you know I never lie."  
  
Clarice is on the verge of panic. "This can't be happening!"  
  
"Oh Clarice, but it is. Nicolo here was very insistent."  
  
"No Clarice, don't listen to him - I'M Hannibal, HE'S Nicolo..."  
  
"My dear, take a good look. How can you doubt that I am the man you've shared a bed with for the past three years?"  
  
"Clarice my love, follow your heart - if you do, you'll know that I'M the man you share your bed with"  
  
"Be careful Clarice; Nicolo is dangerous"  
  
"Yes, YOU ARE dangerous, brother! Clarice, come to me, my love"  
  
"WOULD BOTH OF YOU PLEASE SHUT UP!!!"  
  
Silence. Clarice has regained some composure.  
  
"Okay. Both of you, drop your pants."  
  
"I beg you pardon, Clarice! Surely you don't want to see my brother Nicolo in the nude..."  
  
"I agree Clarice; Nicolo may become quite embare-assed!"  
  
"Both of you - strip! NOW!"  
  
"Very well Clarice"  
  
Even then, Clarice is completely unable to tell who's who. She considers that she may be able to identify Hannibal by demanding that they both recite from Dante's Inferno by memory. All she gets is two perfectly flawless recitations from both brothers at the same time. She starts to panic again, all the while talking to herself under her breath. 'Okay Clarice - girl, you can do this! Okay, both have maroon eyes; both have a slick dark head; they're both the same height, same voice, same bodies, each know Dante by heart, they both have six fingers on their left hands, they both have copperplate handwriting, they both.......'  
  
'WHOA! Back up there Clarice - what was that about six fingers on each left hand?'  
  
She quickly scans over the left hand of the brother nearest her. Six fingers. Her eyes then dart to the other brother's left hand. Five fingers and a scar. Hannibal had his extra finger removed while he was in Brazil. Nicolo seems to have overlooked that little detail.  
  
"Time is almost up, darling. I would very much like Nicolo to be on his way."  
  
"Yes Clarice, Nicolo should be on his way, then you and I can celebrate"  
  
"Uhm, one more thing. I want to smell each of you."  
  
"I have no objection to that if Nicolo doesn't."  
  
"Neither do I, even though I'M Hannibal"  
  
Clarice moves cautiously close to the brother she knows is Hannibal and takes a deep breath.  
  
She then slowly moves over to Nicolo, but before she even thinks about it, she is able to deliver a hard kick to Nicolo's groin. He falls off the sofa and doubles over in a crumpled heap. Clarice has just enough time to grab Nicolo's wallet out of his back pocket and confirm his identity, even though she knew she had chosen correctly. Before he can say a word, Hannibal has neatly sliced through his brother's jugular with his ever- trusty harpy.  
  
"Well done Clarice. Now I have a feeling we'll have a splendid meal tonight!"  
  
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ////////////////////////////////////////////////////  
  
A year later and a glowingly pregnant Clarice lies comfortably in bed, her head on Hannibal's shoulder.  
  
"Darling, if it's a boy do you think we should name him Nicolo?"  
  
"I do hope you're joking, Clarice! Besides, I have a feeling it's a girl, not that I have any preference"  
  
"Neither do I - boy or girl doesn't matter, as long as he or she is healthy. But Hannnibal?"  
  
"Yes, my love?"  
  
"I really, REALLY hope it's NOT twins!!!!!!"  
  
FIN  
  
  
  
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////  
  
That's it! Thank you for taking the time to read and review, and I hope it wasn't too stupid! I still think I'm a pathetic excuse for a writer compared to all the talented authors I've encountered here!  
  
Ta Ta,  
  
Screaming Lamb 


End file.
